Slicing machine



W. B. FELTON SLICING MACHINE Dec. 4, 1934.

Filed Dec. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZZarz/B. 1232' 070,

IN! 'ENTOR.

BY l/ ATTORNEY.

W. B. FELTON SLICING MACHINE Dec. 4, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

Patented Dec. 4, 1934 [UNI-TED,STATESPATENT" OFFICE Kiow -.1] f

WillanllBiFelton, rueblngooiq. j a i nmlimtmu1inee niimr s, 19th; s m. 500346; G Claimsi' (.o1.146;a4

The: present. invention relates generally- 130 upper and. lower, plates loeand ll r p ct vely I slicing machines,andmorewparticularly to a mar-1.; which-are connected together by suitable standcliineforislicing bacon.. ards 12', while the framein. its entirety is sup- Sliced baconas sold in boxes hasthe-variousported. by suitable legs 13.. Arranged centrally .JI'HSIiCBS arranged in partlyv overlapping relation, between the plates and 1,1;and journaled in 60.

and. in large plants: where bacon is packed; in suitable. bearings: 14-is a shaft l5 which'projects boxes; it:.-i's;necessary toemploy anumber of perbeneath thelower plate 11 and carries a rotatsonsttor arrange the slices in overlapping relaable: horizontally disposedcutter or blade, 16. tioniibefore' placing them. in boxes, a; procedure Thecutter 16: is preferably-of. the configuration mt IWhi Chl is: .notronly expensive, but one requiring or outline illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 65, considerable time. g n 3, and operates directlybeneath the lower plate It: is therefore the object of the present inven- 11 of the; frame, and across an opening 17 protium to: provide .a slicing. machine wherein the vided in; the bottomplate 1-1 at one side of the severed strips or' slices :areautomaticallyar shat asyclearly illustratedin Figure. 5. The

in ranged. in. partly overlapping, relation so that materiat to be-slicedlis. supported. in amanner thepropen-numberofslices can; be taken directly tobe hereinatter described, between the plates from the machine: and quickly andconveniently IO-andlland isfed-throughthe opening 1' 7, and arranged inboxes. 1 is severed in slices incident to the rotation of In: this connection, the inventionprovides a. thecutter 16. t I

m horizontally disposed: rotary cutter located im The. means. for supporting the material to be mediatelyabovea movable carrierythe move-- sliced includes. a. substantiallyL-shaped guide ment. ofwhichaistimed with relation tothe-cutplate 18 clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, terl, so-"that; the slices of material as they are and which plate is arranged at an angle trans.- cut are automatically arranged in. partly .oververselyef the upper and. lower plates 10 and 11- I m lapping relation: onthe carrier; of the frame to which the guide plate 18 is secured. I

-.Another object of the invention resides the For this. purpose the guide plate 18,is flanged as novel construction-Loft means whereby the thickat 19, these flanges-engaging the adjacentplates ness of; the. slices can "be varied or regulated. 10 and, llof the frame towhich they are secured Another object of the inventionresides in the bysuitable fasteningelements20. The support- 30; provision of a machine of the character meningvmeans alsoincludespan arm 21 which extends tinned} wherein the" material. to be severed can transversely across the guide plate 18, and. more lie-"quickly placed in the machine, and. supported clearly illustrated in Eigure. .3. The arm 21 is. inainovellmanner. l formedwithl an offset car 22 at one end, and

i'llhe' nature and advantages of the invention carries .asimilar ear 23 adjacent its opposite end,

1 will he better understood: when the .followi-ng .deand between which ears is pivotally mounted a tailed description isreadinconnectionwi-ththe clamping plate 24. One edge of the plate 24 is accompanying drawings, the invention residing rolled up'on itself to receive a pivot rod 25 supimith'e construction, combination and arrange ported by the earsa22'and23 of' the arm 21, so ment of parts as claimed. that, the plate can beusw-ung .upon the pivot 'rod 41 .In'the drawings forming part-of this --app1ica-- to either .an'active or inactive position. Projecttionrlikewnumerals of reference indicate similar ing from one 'side of the-clamping plate 24 is a partssrin the several views and. wherein: transverse series of prongs 26, while arranged. on Figure: 1 is a side elevation of the machine. 7 the opposite side of the plate 24isa vertical series Figure 2=isa top plan view. of teeth. 27 normallyon a ed by a pivoted pawl 453 Figure 3-is a sectional view on line 3"3 of 28. The-pawl 28 ispivoted from the ear 23of the Figure 1. arm 21 as-clearly shown in Figure 5. Thearm2l "Figure. '4 is a sectional "view on line 44 of together with the clamping plate 24 is supported Figurei2. I j for sliding movement vertically on a 'feed' screw Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional 29, for which purpose the arm is provided with 50 V w ShOWiIIg howthe slices are, automatically a sleeye-like portion 30-whichsurrounds the feed arranged in .partly overlapped relation upon the; screw 29 .asshown in Figure '1. The sleeve 30 is carrier. slotted atoneside to; receive a portion of a block Figure '6' is a fragmentary view of the carrier 31, which-portion isprovided with threads to enshowmg the driving connection therefor. v ease the threads of therfeed screw 29. Theblock 55 The-frame of the m chine "c mpris -spaced Blinoludes.a-stem;32-wh1ch slides, through a holto hold the block 31 effectively in'engagement;

with the feed screw 29.

From the construction thus far described, it will be manifest that the material to be sliced and indicated at 3'7 is clamped between the stationary guide plate 18 in the pivoted clamping plate-124,

plate 24 from the pawl 28, and swinging? the plate 24 outwardly upon its pivot. After the material has been arranged against the stationaryguide plate 18,- the clamping plate and pawl 28 are arranged in the'position illustrated in Figure 5. When the machine is in operation the feed screw. 29 is rotated in a manner to be hereinafter described, and incident to the rotation of this screw, the block 31 is fed longitudinally of the feed screw 29 together with the sleeve 30, and in this manner, the material is gradually fed through the opening 1'7 in the lower plate 11, to be sliced by the rotation of the cutter 16. When the material has been completely sliced or substantially so, the arm 21 which has been previously lowered incident to the feed of the material through the opening 17, can bequickly and easily elevated to its normal position, by simply p'ress'ingagainst the knob 35 of the stem 32 carrying the b1ock31, thereby disengaging the block 31 from the feed screw, and allowing the sleeve 30 togetherwith the arm 21 to be slid upwardly on the feed screw to the desired position. When the stem 32 is released, the spring 36 automatically moves the block into engagement with the feed screw so that the parts are arranged for further operation of the machine.

The machine is operated by means of an electric motor 37 mounted upon the upper plateof the frame, which motor includes a shaft 38 carrying a beveled pinion 39 which meshes with a beveled *gear 40 secured to the upper end of the shaft 15.

Also carried by the shaft 15 is a gear 41, while carried by the upper end of the feed screw 29'is a gear 42, which gears are operatively associated through the instrumentality of an intermediate gear 43. Obviously, the ratio of these gears regulates the speed with which the feed screw 29 is rotated,

and consequently regulates the thickness 'of the slice to be cut from the material 37'. By changing the gear ratio, the thickness of the slices to be cut fromthematerial 37' can therefore be varied, and obviously the thinner the slices are cut the closer they are stacked upon the carrier.

For this purpose any type of a change speed device can be employed,'and interposed between as a set screw for holding the gear mounted on the feed screw 29 fixed relatively thereto. When the larger gear 431s attached to th feed.- Screw 29, and a smaller gear used as an idler between the gears carried. by the cutter shaft 15 and the feed screw 29, the material is cut into thinner slices, and the slices are stacked closer together on the carrier. Of course, while the gears 42 and 43 can be interposed as above stated, both of the gears can be separated from the machine and other gears of proper ratio used in their place. The particular change speed device employed may be of any conventional form to provide an operativeconnection between the shaft 15 of the cutter and the feed screw 29. The idler gear 43 is preferably supported on a slotted arm 44, one

1 end of which is bifurcated to receive a hollow the prongs 26 of the latter being embedded in the material 37' as clearly illustrated in Figure; 5. The material 37 can be quickly and conveniently arranged in the machine, by releasing the boss or bearing 45 rising from the uppermost plate lo f the machine as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The free. ends of the bifurcated portion of the arm 44 are connected together and tightened about the boss 45 by a suitable bolt 46.

Received by the slot 4'7 of the arm 44 is a bearing block-548 inwhich is threaded the lower end of a short shaft 49. This shaft projects above the block 48 and is passed through the hub 50 of the intermediate gear 43. The lower end of the block 43 is'formed with .a flange 51 which bears against the lower side of the arm 44, while interposed between the block 48 and the hub 50 is a washer 52. Manifestly, when the shaft 49 is tightened within the block 48, the intermediate gear-43 is held operativelyassociated with the arm 44, but the gear can be easily and quickly replaced by removing the shaft 49 from the block 48 as will be readily understood. To transpose the gears 42 and 43 for the purpose above stated it is necessary to swing the arm 44 outwardly away from the gears'41 and 42 respectively, for

which'purpose the arm 44 is pivoted upon the hollow boss 45. When the arm is in the position illustrated in Figure 2,'with the intermediate gear operatively connecting the gears 41 and 42 respectively," the arm 44 is held stationary by tightening the bolt 46, but when it is desired to transpose said gears, the bolt46 is loosened to permit the arm44 to be swung to an inactive position upon the hollow boss 45 as a pivot. After the gears 42 and 43 have been transposed, the arm '44 is returned to its normal active position, and the screw 46 tightened to.hold the arm 44 fixedwith'relation tothe adjacent plate 10 of the machine.

1 As each slice is cut from the material 37' it or guide-like structure indicated generally at 5'7 and including supporting legs 58. The upper rung of the endless carrier also passes over suitable rollers 59 carried by the auxiliary guide or framelike structure 57, while the lower rung of the end-- less carrierpasses over similar rollers 60 clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The endless carrier. may be made up of one piece or in several pieces or elements as illustrated, while the shaft 61 of one of the rollers'54 is provided with a sprocket 62. Trained over this sprocket and a smaller sprocket 63 is an endless drive chain 64, whereby the endless carrier is operated simultaneously with the cutter 16. The small sprocket 63 is carried by a shaft 65 equipped witha beveled gear 66-which meshes-with a similargear fi'l-carried-by theilower end of the feed screw 29,-'so that incident tothe' cut iroin the material '37 are automatically laid upon the carrier 53 in partly overlapped relation as clearly illustrated in Figure 5. While the machine possesses general utility as a slicing machine, it is primarily designed for the purpose of slicing bacon, and arranging the slices automatically in overlapping relation upon the carrier 53, so that a predetermined number of slices can be quickly and conveniently arranged in a box for sale, and taken directly from the carrier 53 for this purpose. This is accomplished by arranging the cutter 16 horizontally and directly above the adjacent end of the carrier 53, and imparting motion to both the cutter and carrier in such timed relation, that as each slice is severed from the material 3'7 it is laid upon the previously severed slice in partly overlapping relation as shown in Figure 5. It will be manifest, that all moving parts of the machine are operated from the motor 3'7, the latter being directly geared to the cutter shaft 15, while the feed screw 29 is simultaneously rotated through the train or gearing 41, 42 and 43 respectively, while the carrier is also driven or operated from the lower end of the feed screw 29.

While it is believed that from the foregoing de- 1 scription the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily understood, I desire to have it known that I do not limit myself to what is herein illustrated and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired, as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a slicing machine, a horizontal rotary cutter including a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a feed screw mounted for rotation, 21. change speed device interposed between said shaft and feed screw, means for supporting the material to be sliced, including a stationary guide plate, an arm arranged transversely thereof and in spaced relation thereto and slidably mounted .upon the feed screw, a plate carried by the arm for clamping said material between the plate and said stationary guide, means embodying said change speed device for rotating the feed screw from said shaft, means connecting the arm with "the feed screw whereby the arm is moved longitudinally of the feed screw to feed the material ,to said cutter, said cutter being of such shape ranged in partly overlapping relation upon the icarrier.

2. In a slicing machine, a frame including spaced upper and lower plates, said lower plate having an opening therein, a vertical shaft journaled between said plates, a horizontal rotary =cutter carried by the shaft and operating beneath the lowermost plate and across said opening, a feed screw operated from said shaft, means for supporting the material to be sliced, including a stationary guide plate located between the :plates of said frame, an arm arranged transversely of the-guide plate and supported bythe feed screwifor movement longitudinally thereof,

incident tothe rotation of said screw, a pivoted clamping plate carried by the arm for clamping the 'material' between the plate and said guide, means for holding the clamping plate in its activeposition, an endless carrier operating be-" neath the cutter, and means for imparting motionto the carrier from the "feed"screw;.and

in timed relation with the cutter, whereby the slices as they are out are automatically arranged in partly overlapping relation upon the carrier.

3. In a slicing machine, a horizontal rotary cutter, including a vertically disposed shaft mounted for rotation, means for rotating said shaft, a feedscrew mounted for rotation and operated from said shaft, means for supporting the material to be sliced including an arm slid- .ably mounted upon the feed screw, a yieldably supported block carried by the arm and normally having threaded engagement with the feed screw, whereby the arm is moved downwardly on the feed screw incident to the rotation thereof, means for separating the block from the screw to permit the arm to be elevated upon the feed screw, an endless carrier located beneath the cutter, and means for imparting motion to the carrier from the feed screw, and in. timed relation with the cutter, whereby the slices as they are out are automatically arranged in partly overlapping relation upon the carrier.

4. The combination with means for automatically cutting horizontal slices from the bottom of a vertically disposed piece of bacon at predetermined intervals, of a horizontal carrier arranged directly beneath said cutting means so that the slices will fall flatwise directly thereon as they are cut, means to horizontally move said carrier in timed relation to the slicing means so that the carrier receives the slices in uniform overlapping relation, said cutting means including a power operated cutter and means for automatically feeding the bacon downwardly to the cutter at a predetermined speed, and means for changing the speed of movement of said carrier and the speed of operation of said feeding means relative to the speed of operation of said cutter to vary the thickness and the amount of overlap of the slices.

5. The combination with means for automatically cutting horizontal slices from the bottom of a vertically disposed piece ofbacon at predetermined intervals, of a horizontal carrier arranged directly beneath said cutting means so that the slices will fall flatwise directly thereon as they are cut, means to horizontally move said carrier in timed relation to the slicing means so that the carrier receives the slices in uniform overlapping relation, said cutting means including a cutter and means including a feed screw for feeding the bacon downwardly to the cutter at a predetermined speed, and means for changing the speed of movement of said carrier and the speed of operation of said feeding means relative to the speed of operation of said cutter to vary the thickness and the amount of overlap of the slices, said carrier moving means including a driving connection between said carrier and said feed screw.

6. The combination with means for automatically cutting horizontal slices fromthe bottom of a vertically disposed piece of bacon at predetermined intervals, of a horizontal carrier arranged directly beneath said cutting means so that the slices Will fall fiatwise directly thereon as they are cut, means to horizontally move said carrier in, timed relation to the slicing means so that the carrier receives the slices in uniform overlapping relation, said cutting means including a cutter and means includinga feed screw,

for feeding the bacon downwardly to the cutter at a predetermined speed, and means for changing the speed of movement of said carrier and the speed of operation of said feeding means 

